As
a web designer and web developer, it’s important to have great software
that can help you to be efficient when it comes to creating and
updating your website(s). While many designers and developers opt for
paid software, there is plenty of free software available that is often
just as feature-rich as paid versions. Using free software (also known
as freeware), is also a great way to test out software before upgrading
to the full or pro version.

Since
three of the most important tools for any designer and developer are
HTML editors, image editors, and FTP clients we’ll be taking a look at
some of the best free tools available in each category.

HTML Editors

HTML
editors come in many shapes and form. Some of simple and have only a
few features, while others are complex and have many advanced features.
All web designers and developers need a good HTML editor to help them
create and update Web pages. Here are some of the top free HTML editors
for web designers and developers.

Aptana Studio
- The world’s leading IDE (integrated development environment) for
building Web apps. This can be used as a standalone tool or as a plugin
for Eclipse tools.
Features include: Code Assist for HTML, CSS, and JavaScript, JavaScript
debugging, JavaScript libraries, DOM outline view, file transfer and
synchronization (FTP, SFTP, FTPS), and live preview.

HTML-Kit - A full-featured HTML editor with modern comforts and hundreds of plugins
for customization. You can even edit a file in HTML-Kit and
automatically preview it on your iPad. Features include: color themes,
preview as you type, Windows 7 jump lists, quick upload, file
versioning, translations, image picker, HTML list wizard, and profiles.

Image Editors

All
web designers need some type of image editor at one time or another to
edit images. Sometimes you may only need to resize an image or change
the file type, while other times you may have to do more advanced things
like remove a background or improve the overall quality. Many designers
and developers opt to use Photoshop, which unfortunately is not free.
If you don’t have the money to dish out for Photoshop, here are some of
the top image editors that can help you out.

Lightbox
- This is a light version of the paid program Sagelight and provides
easy, powerful, and fast image editing. This program was written by
scratch and has a unique look; it’s also portable and can be run from
any portable drive. It’s best used as a way to quickly adjust and edit
images since there aren’t many advanced features.

GIMP
- The name stands for GNU Image Manipulation Program and it’s a freely
distributed software that is best used for photo retouching and image
authoring. It is available for Windows, Mac, and Linux operating
systems. It includes a full suite of painting tools, the ability to have
a virtually unlimited number of images open at once, layers and
channels, foreground extraction tool, over 100 plugins, support for
creating animations, and much more.

Paint.net
- A free image and photo editor for Windows only. It supports layers,
unlimited undo, special effects, plugins, and more. This program has
been compared to Photoshop, Paint SHop Pro, and GIMP since it provides
many of the same advanced features. Paint.net also has a growing online community where you will find tutorials and can ask for help.

FTP Clients

Unless
your web host includes an FTP client or a powerful file manager, you’ll
need to find one on your own. FTP clients help you transfer files
(images, videos, audio, documents) from your computer to your Web server
so that you can use them on your website. If you use an HTML editor to
create Web pages, you’ll also need an FTP client in order to get your
pages live to your website. Here are some of the top FTP clients for
transferring files.

FileZilla
- This is an open-source program that can be downloaded as a client or
server. If you’re only looking to transfer files, then the client will
work. If you want to make files available for others, then you’ll need
the server. FileZilla supports FTP, FTPS, and SFTP and runs on Windows,
Mac, and Linux. It includes a tabbed user interface, drag-and-drop
support, and remote file editing.

Cyberduck
- With this software you can connect to FTP, SFTP, WebDAV, and various
cloud storage programs (like Amazon S3 and Google Docs). It works on
Windows and Mac operating systems and includes an integrated file
editor. Cyberduck supports drag-and-drop, synchronization with remote
directories, and Growl (for notifications).

SmartFTP
- An FTP, FTPS, SFTP, SSH, and terminal client that includes many basic
and advanced features. You can use it to upload files to your Web
server and also to share files with your friends and coworkers. If
you’re looking for more features, you can upgrade to the Professional or
Ultimate Editions. Features include: modern GUI, file and folder
synchronization, drag-and-drop support, remote editing, and more.

CoffeeCup Free FTP
- If you’re looking for a simple and reliable tool for transferring
files, checkout CoffeeCup’s free FTP client. You can set up multiple
server profiles, connect to your server with a single click,
drag-and-drop files, view all your activity in a separate pane, save
your place with bookmarks, and more. If you’re looking for advanced
features, you can purchase the full version.

What free tools do you use? Which are your favorites?

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